Quote by Maxim Gorky: “Books are the best of things, if you don't know the best of things.”

This quote playfully suggests that while books offer immense value and knowledge, they are secondary to direct life experiences and fundamental human connections. It implies that true wisdom comes from engaging with the world, though books are excellent guides.

Amidst the chaos of the Russian Revolution, Gorky was deeply involved in cultural preservation efforts, recognizing the importance of books while also emphasizing the urgency of human experience.

Russian author and political activist who is considered a founder of Socialist Realism and was closely associated with the revolutionary movement of 1905 and the Bolshevik Revolution. His autobiographical trilogy beginning with Childhood is a landmark of Russian literature. He used his international fame to advocate for writers persecuted under Stalinist rule.